U.S. patent applications Ser. Nos. 07/193,458 filed May 13, 1988 and 07/193,852 filed May 13, 1988, both assigned to the assignee hereof, disclose terminals and methods for terminating flat cable used for power transmission. The flat cable is of the type entering commercial use for transmitting electrical power of for example 75 amperes nominal and includes a single flat conductor coated with insulative material. One such cable provides a flat conductor one inch wide and about 0.020 inches thick with an extruded insulated coating of about 0.004 to 0.008 inches thick over each surface, with the cable having a total thickness averaging about 0.034 inches. The metal of the flat conductor is for example of
Copper Alloy 110 and the insulation is for example TEFZEL thermoplastic resin known as polyethylene-co-tetrafluoro-ethylene copolymer (trademark of E. I. DuPont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Del.).
Application Ser. No. 07/193,458 discloses a different method of terminating such flat cable with integral means of a transition adapter member. Two opposing plate sections are hinged at a rearward cable-receiving end and have opposing termination regions; one of the plate sections extends forwardly from its termination region to a contact section. In each termination region is disposed a transverse array of wave-shaped crests extending toward the other plate section, alternating with relief recesses aligned with the wave-shaped crests of the other plate section, so that upon being pressed together against a cable end placed between the plate sections the wave-shaped crests having shearing edges will initiate a shearing of the cable. As the pressing together continues the crests will deflect the newly sheared cable portion out of the plane of the cable propagating the shear which will continue along the crest edges for a defined length until the plate sections are against the cable surfaces. A series of interlocking wave joints is thereby formed across the termination region, with a series of conductor strips of limited length deflected out of the conductor's plane but remaining integrally joined to the conductor. Copper inserts along the outside surfaces of the termination regions are now staked from their outer surfaces to deform the copper mass against the exposed newly sheared cable conductor edges and against the adapter's crest edges to establish an assured electrical connection through a series of gas-tight connections. The wave joints created by the wave-shaped crests may be staked to split the joints partially and provide spring compliance therein for the storage of mechanical energy prior to staking the inserts and thus provide an electrical interface resistant to stress relaxation and vibration.
The transition adapter includes any one of a variety of contact sections forwardly of the termination region for electrical connection with another electrical connector or article to transmit power and optionally to distribute power by means of a plurality of contact sections. Several types of contact sections are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/050,793 filed May 14, 1987 and assigned to the assignee hereof.
It is desired to provide a separable interface between such transition adapter members terminated to flat power cable and mating contact members, to removably interconnect the power cable with an electrical system to be powered. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/169,514 filed Mar. 17, 1988 and assigned to the assignee hereof discloses a receptacle terminal for a separable interface for power interconnection. The terminal comprises a stamped and formed member having a pair of opposing plate sections joined by a lateral bight, and forwardly from the plate sections extend arrays of opposing spring arms together acting as a flared receptacle to receive therebetween a thick planar elongate bus bar. The bus bar engages contact sections of the spring arms and deflects the stiff spring arms outwardly and thereby generating sufficient contact normal force between the terminal and the bus bar. An apertured flange extending from a plate section provides for connection by a bolt fastener to a conventional ring tongue terminal terminated to a power cable. U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,191 discloses a similar terminal comprising two cast metal members defining a pair of apertured plate sections forwardly from which extend arrays of opposing contact arms The electrical terminal is connected to a conventional ring tongue terminal terminated a power cable, with an apertured planar contact element of the ring tongue terminal sandwiched between the pair of plates which are then secured thereto by a bolt fastener.
It is desired in particular to provide a separable interface between the flat power cable and a conventional printed circuit panel through a plurality of conventional board-mounted posts.
It is further desired to provide such a separable interface within a limited envelope to minimize the space occupied by the interface.
It is yet further desired to provide precise control over the resultant geometry and forces of the mated interface to assure the quality of the electrical performance across the interface during in-service use.
It is also desired to provide all of the above considerations using monolithic matable contact members.